This invention relates to bowling machines and, more particularly, the pitboards used in the present day automatic bowling machines.
With the advent of automatic bowling machines came the pitboard which was used to direct the bowling pins and balls to the automatic pickup. Such a pitboard needed a number of very special characteristics. It had to absorb sound since the noise created by the impact of pins and balls on a multiplicity of adjacent lanes would be deafening. Typically, the pit area would be subject to a large number of dirt and dust particles and, often, oil drippings from the pinsetter which generally overhangs it. Thus, the pitboard would have to prevent the dirt and oil from being picked up by the bowling balls, thereby aiding the return of a clean ball to the bowler. In addition, the board also had to be capable of withstanding the constant impacts to which it would be subject. The pitboard also had to be effective in facilitating the movement of pins and balls discharged from the bowling lane through the pit area to the pickup.
The industry initially made pitboards with a hard material such as wood and, more recently, fiberglass or a high grade plastic which provided the strength and durability needed. To meet the other requirements, the prior art solution has generally involved the application of a rubber pad covered by a carpet, or more recently, artificial turf, to the pin-supporting side of the pitboard. This solution, of course, solved the noise problem and was also effective in preventing the balls from getting dirty or oily, providing the carpets were cleaned and shampooed regularly. As can be expected, the wear on these surfaces was considerable especially since most balls thrown down the lane hit the pit cushion and then drop onto the pitboard, causing a line of excessive wear under the pit cushion. This, combined with general wear and tear, necessitates the annual replacement of the surface. The replacements involve removing the pitboards and ripping off the carpets and rubber pads glued thereto, cutting the replacement carpet or turf, preparing the surface for regluing, and regluing the replacement pad and carpet to the board with a quart of adhesive. This replacement procedure proves to be very time consuming, sometimes necessitating the closing of the lanes for one or two days. Furthermore, the replacement materials are very costly and are a financial burden, especially when reconditioning covers 30 or so lanes annually. Once installed, the new carpets create another problem due to the lint which they shed, and this problem lasts until they are broken in.
Prior art pitboards of the type herein discussed are generally mounted in the pit area on a shaker assembly which serves to impart a reciprocating motion to the board. Although pitboards generally slope downwardly from the lane to the pin pickup, the pins, without the aid of the shaker assembly, generally would be prevented by friction between themselves and the pitboard carpet from reaching the pin pickup at the rear of the pit. But these arrangements have been only partially successful. Virtually everyone who has bowled has had the experience of not getting their ball back. This usually occurs when the ball is blocked by some pins in the pit or due to the fact that they have not been delivered by the pitboard to the pickup. Therefore, the operator of the bowling facility must have someone constantly available to remedy the problem. Also, since some pins can get blocked, relatively permanently, while still permitting the ball to be returned, a condition can develop wherein there are an insufficient number of pins to fill all the sockets in the overhead pin setter. This problem can be overcome to a reasonable degree by adding extra pins to the machine so that there always will be a full complement to set up even if several are blocked. Although this adds an additional cost, it is generally preferred over the alternative of disgruntled customers who have to wait for someone to fill the pins before their next frame can be set up. Adding a further burden is the fact that the shaker assemblies often have their drive belts or bearings wear out due to the excessive weight of the pitboard driven by the assembly. When this occurs, it precludes the use of the entire machine, since a conventional pitboard alone cannot satisfactorily convey the pins and balls through the pit area.
This invention solves all the foregoing problems of the present-day pitboards while supplying the necessary characteristics that an effective pitboard must have.